Snell-tying implement

ABSTRACT

A snell is attached to a fish hook by coiling it around the projecting end of a tubular mandrel, around a stretch of the snell and around the shank of the hook held alongside the mandrel, then catching it in a hook on the end of a pulling needle extending through the mandrel and projecting from the end thereof, then retracting the needle and mandrel into a fixed bearing sleeve so as to draw a loop of the snell through the coils while pushing the coils off the mandrel onto the hook shank and the several stretches of the snell passing through the coils, and finally pulling the two ends of the snell, projecting from the opposite ends of the body of coils, to tighten the coils in secure attachment to the hook. The needle and mandrel are yieldingly retractable during this operation. For tying a loop on the opposite end of the snell, a lock is provided to hold the mandrel in its projected position, and the needle is operated to draw a loop of the snell through a doubled end portion thereof which has been coiled around the projecting end of the mandrel, while the latter remains fixed by its lock.

United States Patent Landry et al. v

1451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] SNELL-TYING IMPLEMENT [72] Inventors: Delphin H. Landry, 55 CerroVista, Hacienda del Pismo; Howard A. Biby, 54 Cerro Vista, Hacienda delPismo, both of, Pismo Beach, Calif. 93449 [221 Filed: Nov. 29, 1971 [211App]. N6; 202,851

[52] U.S. Cl ..289/17 [5 1] Int. Cl ..D03j 3/00 [58] Field of Search..289/l7 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,145,439 1/1939Torrence ..'..289/l7 3,326,586 6/1967 Frost et al. 3,520,566 7/1970Bovigny ..289/17 Primary ExaminerLouis K. Rimrodt Att0rneyLynn H. Latta[57] ABSTRACT A snell is attached to a fish hook by coiling it aroundthe projecting end of a tubular mandrel, around a stretch of the snelland around the shank of the hook held alongside the mandrel, thencatching it in a hook on the end of a pulling needle extending throughthe mandrel and-projecting from the end thereof, then retracting theneedle and mandrel into a fixed bearing sleeve so as to draw a loop ofthe snell through the coils while pushing the coils off the mandrel ontothe 'hook shank and the several stretches of the snell passing throughthe coils, and finally pulling the two ends of the snell, projectingfrom the opposite ends of the body of coils, to tighten the coils insecure attachment to the hook. The needle and mandrel are yieldinglyretractable during this operation. For tying aloop on the opposite endof the snell, a lock is provided to hold the mandrel in its projectedposition, and the needle is operated to draw a loop of the snell througha doubled end portion thereof which has been coiled around theprojecting end of the mandrel, while the latter remains fixed by itslock.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures SNELL-TYING IMPLEMENT BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In the art of snelling (tying a snell of monofilament onto theshank of a fish hook) machines of some complexity have heretofore beenavailable for commercial snelling, and there have been some priorattempts to provide relatively small, manually operable snellingimplements. Kennedy U.S. Pat. No. 2,934,369 discloses a simpleshaft-like arrangement of parts including a hooked needle and a mandrelin which it is axially slidable, for drawing an end of a snell throughseveral coils thereof on a mandrel. It does not, however, provide asatisfactory means for retaining the coils on the mandrel during thewinding, nor does it provide for tying-a loop on the opposite end of thesnell. Butts U.S. Pat. No. 2,700,840 and Dannebaum U.S. Pat. No.3,043,615 also disclose small manual devices utilizing needles fordrawing an end of a snell through coils ofa snell coiled around a needleand the shank of a fish hook. 'Bovigny U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,566 disclosesa snelling machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an implementhaving means for temporarily holding a snell at the point where windingaround a mandrel commences, so as to restrain its coils from sliding offthe end of the mandrel as they are being wound. It provides a novel visefor holding the shank of a fish-hook closely alongside the projectingend of the mandrel, so that the snell can be easily coiled around themandrel and the shank. With the remaining end portion of the snellcaught in the projecting hooked end portion of the needle, theretraction of the needle transmits, through the caught end portion tothe end of the mandrel, which is springloaded, an axial push whichcauses the mandrel to retract into the fixed bearing sleeve, which,being stationary, strips the coils off the mandrel and onto the fishhookshank. While the fish-hook remains clamped in place, the ends of thesnell can be pulled tight to cinch the coils into a knot aroundtheshank, and the clamp can then be quickly released'by operating a lever.For tying a loop in the opposite end of the snell, av

pair of locking devices are manipulated to hold the mandrel againstretraction while the needle is actuated to pull a loop of the snellthrough a coil of a doubled portion of the snell which has been woundaround the fixed mandrel, thus forming a knotted loop.

The general object of the invention is to provide a dual-purposeimplement by which snelling and looptying can both be performed rapidly,easily and dependably by manual operation. Specific objects are toattain the features of operation detailed above.

These and other objects will become apparent in the ensuing descriptionand appended drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the back side of the implement, withparts broken away;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the front side of the implement,omitting the mounting clamp;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the implement;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view illustrating the coiling of the snellaround the mandrel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale, showing the operationof drawing the end of the snell through the coils thereof whilestripping the coils from the mandrel;

FIG. 6 is-a fragmentary view showing the tightening of the coils aroundthe fish hook shank to form a-knot;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken longitudinallythrough the top of the implement, showing portions of the mandrelassembly in section;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on the line 8-8 of FIG.7, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 9 is a front end view of the upper portion of the implement, on anenlarged scale;

FIG. 10 is a transverse sectional view through the mandrel brake unit;

FIG. 11 is aview illustrating a stage of loop-trying; FIG. 12 is a viewillustrating a later stage of the same; and

FIG. 13 is a detail top plan view of the retainer spring and itsanchorage, the overlying mandrel being shown in phantom.

DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in detail, we have showntherein, as an example of one form in which the invention may beembodied, a dual-purpose tying implement comprising, in general, casingA; ,a fish-hook holding vise B; a slidable carriage C; a mandrel-needleassembly D; a mandrel brake E; and a carriage-mandrel clutch F. Ingeneral, carriage C is slidably operable on the top of casing A toretract needle 10 and mandrel l l of assembly D. Brake E is operable toexert a frictional holding effect on mandrel 11 to resist its beingretracted along with needle 10 during a loop-tying operation, so that asnell loop can be dragged into the mandrel and through a coil of doubledsnell wound around the mandrel; Clutch F is operable to extablish apositive clutching connection between carriage C and mandrel 11 forretracting the mandrel positively during a snelling operation.

In detail, casing A comprises a trapezoidal frame having side arms 12and 13 secured'to-and rising from a clamp yoke 14 provided with a clampscrew 15 for fastening it to a bench top or the like 16; front and backplates 17 and 18 (FIGS. 1 and 8) detachably secured to the frame and toone another by screws 19; a top comprising aweb 20 extending part wayfrom side arm 12 (FIG. 7) and a pair of longitudinal angle bars 21secured to the underside of web 20 and bridged by an arch 22 (FIG. 8).Arch 22, forming part of the needlemandrel assembly D, consists of abearing tube 23 mounted on spaced angle-bar legs 24 and having in itsunder side a longitudinal slot registering with the spaces between legs24. Legs 24 are securely mounted on angle bars 21.

Vise B comprises a plunger 30 spring-loaded to retracted, hook-clampingposition by a coil spring 31 acting against a washer 32 which seatsagainst aforked' end of a lever 33. Plunger 30 projects through the forkof lever 33 and has a retainer cross-pin 34 in its end. Lever 33 isfulcrumed on a pivot pin 35 mounted on front plate 17, and has a handleend projecting through an arcuate slot 37in front plate 17 andprovidedwith a knob 38. The upper end of plunger 30 is slidably extended througha bushing 39 secured in top web 20, and has a claw 40 for clamping afish hook H across the upper end of bushing 39 and seated in notches 41therein (FIG. 9). Upon pushing downwardly on knob 38 at the one end oflever 33, its other end will be raised against washer 32 which willfrictionally engage plunger with a cramping action developed by tilting,and the plunger will be raised while spring 31 is compressed. A hook Hcan then be engaged beneath claw in its elevated position shown FIG. 9,and upon releasing lever 33, spring 31 will drive the plunger downwardlyto clamp the hook H, the spring load being transmitted through lever 33and cross pin 34.

Carriage C is of elongated box form, having a top wall in which clutch Fis mounted, a forward end 46 having a notch 47 loosely receiving themandrel assembly D, and a rear end 48 provided with an external boss 49and an internal socket 50, jacket walls 51 carrying way bars 52, and atail slide 53 hung from rear wall 48, projecting forwardly beneath anglebars 21, and terminating in a spring anchor hook 54. A tension spring 55loads the carriage C for advancing movement toward vise B to a normalposition shown in FIG. 1. Its forwardend is anchored to casing A at 56.Waybars 52 are in sliding bearing engagement with the outer sides ofarch legs 24 to position the carriage and mandrel assembly D on a slideaxis.

Needle-mandrel assembly D comprises the needle 10 having a rear endsecured in carriage boss 49 and a forward tip provided with a downwardlyopening notch 61 functioning as an eye; the mandrel 11 which extendsfrom needle tip 60 to a point adjacent rear carriage end 48, the mandrelbeing slidable on the needle and in a fixed bearing sleeve 62; afloating sleeve 63 telescoped over the bearing sleeve 62 and extendingrearwardly to the carriage rear end 48 where it is adapted to freelyenter the socket 50; and a loading spring 64 surrounding the mandrel l1and adapted to act under compression between an internal collar 65 fixedin floating sleeve 63 and an external collar 66 fixed to mandrel l l.Collar 66 normally abuts the rear end of bearing sleeve 62, acting as apositioning stop for the mandrel, limiting its forward projection.Spring 64, acting forwardly against collar 66, yieldingly positions themandrel in this normal position (FIG. 7). Acting rearwardly againstcollar 65, it urges the floating sleeve 63 toward a normal position,likewise shown in FIG. 7, in which its rear end is seated in socket 50.The forward endof bearing sleeve 62 is mounted on a bracket 67 whichfixes it to casing web 20. A head 68 is fixed on the rear end of mandrelIL A retainer finger 69 is secured to web'20 and projects forwardlybeneath bearing sleeve 62.

Brake E (FIGS. 7 and 10) comprises a cylindrical cam 70, formed by anotch in a central portion of a shaft 71 having an integral lever handle72, the shaft 71 being joumalled in a'bushing 73 fixed to casing top web20. When lever 72 is moved upwardly from a normal depending,brake-releasing position, the resulting rotation of cam causes it toimpinge upwardly against the underside of floating sleeve 63, which isthereby flattened so as to transmit flattening pressure through bearingsleeve 62 to mandrel ll, frictionally gripping the latter and resistingits sliding movement in sleeve I Clutch F comprises a cylindrical barrel75 fixed in carriage top wall 45, its upper end being cut on a bias toprovide a ramp edge 75 in which is a retainer notch 77; a clutch pin 78slidably and rotatably projecting through a bearing collar 79 and flange80. The lower end of pin 78 is adapted, when it is rotated, by itshandle 82, to the position shown in FIG. 2 wherein the handle bearsagainst the low side of ramp 76, to project downwardly through a slot 83in floating sleeve 63, as shown in broken lines, and in this loweredposition it is adapted, upon retracting movement of the carriage C, toengage the head 68 on the rear end of mandrel 11 so as to positivelyretract the mandrel. Operation In a snelling operation, a snell S (FIG.4) is passed through the eye 85 of a fish hook H which has been clampedin vise B with the eye 85 projecting forwardly past the needle tip 60.Normally the user will face the front side 17 of the implement (FIG. 2)during the operation, and will draw the leading end of the snell behindand alongside the hooks shank 86.as viewed in this position. The leadingend is then drawn downwardly behind the adjacent projecting end ofmandrel 11, then passed under the mandrel and beneath the retainerfinger 69, and thence upwardly to begin a number of turns around themandrel tip at 87 and hook shank 86, winding clockwise as viewed fromright to left. Whenienough coils have been wound onto the mandrel, theremaining end portion of the snell, at 88, is caught in the eye ofneedle tip 60' and held taut. Then the carriage C (FIG. 2) is drawn'leftward to retract needle 10, using the left hand while the rightcontinues to hold snell end 88 taut. This will draw a loop from end 88,89, into the coils 87 (FIGS. 2 and 5). The drag of loop 89 against themandrel as it enters the same, will tend to cause the mandrel to beretracted against the yielding resistance of loading spring 64, tendingto cause the coils 87 to be pushed off the mandrel by the forward end ofbearing sleeve 62, against which they will be drawn by the mandrelretraction. 1

After the loop 89 passes through the coils 87, the relatively long body90 of the snell extending from eye 85 is pulled taut and the carriage.is simultaneously released. As the coils 87 are thus contracted aroundthe mandrel, and as the tension on the-snell body 90 is maintained, thecoils 87 will be tightened around hook shank 86 FIGS. 5 and 6) andaround the pulled-through loop 89, and simultaneously the coils 87 willdrop off the mandrel, the first coil then being released from retainerfinger 69. The fish hook is then released from vise B and the free endof loop 89 may be pulled out of the coils 87 as shown in FIG. 6. The twoends of the snell are then pulled tight to form a knot around the hookshank 86.

During the snelling operation, the brake B is in the released position(FIGS. 7 and 10) to allow the mandrel to freely retract, and the clutchF isin its operative position (FIGS. 2 and 8,) with pin 78 lowered so asto engage mandrel head 68 after a lost-motion stage ofneedle-retraction, the pin 78 traversing the slot 83 longitudinally toengage head 68. Further carriage movement will then effect positiveretraction of mandrel 11 to the extent necessary to draw its projectingend completely within the bearing sleeve 62, so as to.

' completely release the coils 87 from the mandrel.

thin and yieldable so as to easily distort and transmit frictionalbraking pressure to mandrel l l. The opposite end portion of the snellis doubled back upon itself to form a looped bight 92 (FIG. 11) which isengaged in needle eye 61, and the carriage C is then retracted. Thefrictional braking pressure of brake E will yieldingly resist retractionof mandrel 11 when carriage C is actuated to retract the needle into themandrel, around which a twisted loop 93 of the doubled snell is fittedby slipping it over the end of the mandrel as indicated by the arrows inFIG. 11, as the bight 92 is drawn into the mandrel. The brakingrestraint of the mandrel by brake E resists the tendency of the mandrelto be retracted by the drag of bight 92 against it while the bight isbeing drawn into the mandrel. When the loop 93 is fitted around themandrel, the end 88 and body 90 of the snell are pulled to draw the loop93 tight and are held taut while the carriage C is released, allowingthe return spring 55 to project the carriage and needle 10 back to theprojected position of needle 10 (FIG. 12) the needle pushing the bight92 through the loop 93 to form the loop 91. The latter is then encircledby the loop 93 which has been converted into a simple tie, or open knot.By grasping the projecting loop 91 in one hand and the doubled end 88and body 90 in the other hand, the user then slips the loop 93 off themandrel, releases the loop 91 from the needle, and pulls the loop 91further through the loop 93 to tighten the latterinto a knot around thebase ofloop 91.

We claim: 1. A snell-tying implement comprising: a support having aslideway; a carriage slidably guided by said slideway; a tubular mandrelslidably mounted on said support for movement on an axis parallel tosaid slideway a needle attached to said carriage and slidable axiallywithin said mandrel in response to carriage movement, said needle havinga tip provided with a snell-engaging eye; means yieldingly urging saidmandrel toward a normally projected position in which coils of a snellcan be wound around it; and means to hold a fish hook with its shankextending closely alongside the projected mandrel so that said coils canbe wound around said mandrel and shank simultaneously; and a remainingend portion of the snell caught in the needles eye, the retraction ofthe needle then being effective to draw said remaining end portionthrough said coils to form a knot upon release of the coils from themandrel and tightening the coils by pulling on the ends of the snell. 2.The implement defined in claim 1, including spring means for returningthe carriage and needle to projected positions following retraction ofthe carriage.

3. The implement defined in claim 1, including a retainer finger carriedby said support beneath the mandrel, adapted to be engaged by the firstcoil would around the mandrel so as to retain the same from longitudinalslippage on the mandrel while the remaining coils are wound.

4. The implement defined in claim 1, including a brake operable to exertfrictional restraining action on the mandrel to resist retractionthereof in an operation in which a loo of slip-knot form is tied in theopposite end of the sne l by first engaging a bight in a doubledbackportion of said opposite end in the needles eye, forming a twisted loopin said doubled-back portion, then slipping said twisted loop over themandrel while retracting the needle to draw said bight into the mandrel,and finally projecting the needle to push said bight through saidtwisted loop to form an end loop on the snell.

5. The implement defined in claim 1, including a clutch embodying aspring-loaded pin, carried by said carriage and operable to project saidpin into the path of a head on the rear end of said mandrel so as totransmit movement from the carriage to the mandrel for positivelyretracting the mandrel.

6. The implement defined in claim 1, said hookholding means comprising:

a plunger having at its upper end a claw to engage the shank of a shifthook, said plunger being mounted in said support for axially slidingmovement transversely of the mandrel axis, its upper end projectingclosely adjacent the side of the mandrel and transversely thereof;

means spring-loading said plunger for downward retraction to engage thefish hook shank by said claw;

and lever means operable to project said plunger upwardly to receive thehook shank beneath said claw.

7. The implement defined in claim 1, said means for yieldingly urgingsaid mandrel toward projected position comprising;

a coil spring encircling an intermediate portion of said mandrel;

a floating sleeve telescoped over said coil spring and containing it;

a bearing sleeve in which a portion of said mandrel forward of said coilspring is slidable mounted;

an abutment collar fixed in said floating sleeve and abutting the rearend of said coil spring;

and an abutment collar fixed on said mandrel adjacent the forward end ofsaid coil spring and abutting the same to apply yielding forwardpressure thereto.

1. A snell-tying implement comprising: a support having a slideway; acarriage slidably guided by said slideway; a tubular mandrel slidablymounted on said support for movement on an axis parallel to saidslideway a needle attached to said carriage and slidable axially withinsaid mandrel in response to carriage movement, said needle having a tipprovided with a snell-engaging eye; means yieldingly urging said mandreltoward a normally projected position in which coils of a snell can bewound around it; and means to hold a fish hook with its shank extendingclosely alongside the projected mandrel so that said coils can be woundaround said mandrel and shank simultaneously; and a remaining endportion of the snell caught in the needle''s eye, the retraction of theneedle then being effective to draw said remaining end portion throughsaid coils to form a knot upon release of the coils from the mandrel andtightening the coils by pulling on the ends of the snell.
 2. Theimplement defined in claim 1, including spring means for returning thecarriage and needle to projected positions following retraction of thecarriage.
 3. The implement defined in claim 1, including a retainerfinger carried by said support beneath the mandrel, adapted to beengaged by the first coil would around the mandrel so as to retain thesame from longitudinal slippage on the mandrel while the remaining coilsare wound.
 4. The implement defined in claim 1, including a brakeoperable to exert frictional restraining action on the mandrel to resistretraction thereof in an operation in which a loop of slip-knot form istied in the opposite end of the snell by first engaging a bight in adoubled-back portion of said opposite end in the needle''s eye, forminga twisted loop in said doubled-back portion, then slipping said twistedloop over the mandrel while retracting the needle to draw said bightinto the mandrel, and finally projecting the needle to push said bightthrough said twisted loop to form an end loop on the snell.
 5. Theimplement defined in claim 1, including a clutch embodying aspring-loaded pin, carried by said carriage and operable to project saidpin into the path of a head on the rear end of said mandrel so as totransmit movement from the carriage to the mandrel for positivelyretracting the mandrel.
 6. The implement defined in claim 1, saidhookholding means comprising: a plunger having at its upper end a clawto engage the shank of a shift hook, said plunger being mounted in saidsupport for axially sliding movement transversely of the mandrel axis,its upper end projecting closely adjacent the side of the mandrel andtransversely thereof; means spring-loading said plunger for downwardretraction to engage the fish hook shank by said claw; and lever meansoperable to project said plunger upwardly to receive the hook shankbeneath said claw.
 7. The implement defined in claim 1, said means foryieldingly urging said mandrel toward projected position comprising; acoil spring encircling an intermediate portion of said mandrel; afloating sleeve telescoped over said coil spring and containing it; abearing sleeve in which a portion of said mandrel forward of said coilspring is slidable mounted; an abutment collar fixed in said floaTingsleeve and abutting the rear end of said coil spring; and an abutmentcollar fixed on said mandrel adjacent the forward end of said coilspring and abutting the same to apply yielding forward pressure thereto.